Face Mask Free Flap: Description of Cadaver Dissection Technique and Anatomy

Between July 1989 and July 2003, in the research laboratory for face muscles, Second Chair of Anatomy of the Medical Faculty of the University of Buenos Aires, 40 cadavers were dissected. The dissection was from superficial to deep, and after exposing deep muscular tissue, dissection of the bulk of facial muscular elements was carried out from the depth to the surface. The following results were obtained: 1. the anatomic bases to perform a face mask free flap; 2. a description of the main vascular systems; 3. a description of neural motor innervation; 4. a description of neural sensitive innrvation.

Among conclusions were that that the face mask free flap is easy to perform from an anatomic point of view. The advantages or disadvantages of using this flap in clinical applications were not analyzed.